MEADVILLE, Pa. – Utilizing the momentum from a nine-point, half-closing run, the Allegheny women's basketball squad picked up a 63-45 win in the Greg Richards '08 Tip-Off Tournament Championship game on Sunday evening at the David V. Wise Center.
 
The Allegheny defense shut down the Spartan offense in the second half, forcing Case into low percentage shots that resulted in a 22.7 percent shooting percentage for the Spartans, while the Gators buried seven three-pointers while shooting 43.1 percent from the floor.  The junior duo of Emma Pellicano and Jessica Mrdjenovich led the squad offensively, as Pellicano led the team with 18 points while Mrdjenovich, mainly due to her 4-of-8 performance from three-point range, finished with 16 markers. 
 
Senior Kendall Hoffman, named Tournament Most Valuable Player, scored eight points, adding three boards, three assists, three blocks and two steals in a strong all-around performance.
 
In the process, Allegheny head coach Kate Costanzo earned her 100^th career victory.  Entering the season with 98 career wins, the 2-0 weekend for the Gators at the Third Annual Greg Richards '08 Memorial Tip-Off Tournament pushed Costanzo to the century mark.  Costanzo becomes the fifth coach in program history to hit the 100-win milestone.
 
Junior Kaitlyn Fromknecht was a staple in the front court once again for the Gators, nabbing seven boards while tying her career-high for the second consecutive game with fove blocks, adding five points.  Classmate Ifienywa Uwazie tacked on a team-high eight rebounds while senior Marina Scarantino picked up a team-high four assists.  Overall, the Gators outscored Case, 20-18 in the paint, adding 15 points off of 12 Case turnovers.
 
Allegheny took a 16-9 lead with 10:21 remaining in the first half, but Case responded with a 9-0 run to take an 18-16 lead of their own with 5:04 left in the opening stanza. A pair of free throws from Pellicano snapped the run, as a pair of buckets from Hoffman and a three-pointer by Scarantino sparked the Gators to a 25-18 halftime lead.
 
Utilizing the lingering momentum from the game-changing, first half rally, Allegheny erupted into the second half, picking up a double digit lead less than three minutes in.  The Gators led by as many as 19 points, taking a 51-32 advantage with 6:11 on the clock. 
 
Perhaps the play of the tournament came with 3:39 remaining in the second half, as the Gators rushed down the court on the fast break.  Scarantino cut into the paint with defenders ahead of her, making a behind the back pass to Pellicano on the left post, who drove in for the bucket, drawing the foul in the progress.  Pellicano's free-throw completed the conventional three-point play and gave the Gators an 18-point lead with 3:39 remaining.  The Gators were able to hold off the Spartans for the remainder of the game, earning their second Greg Richards '08 Tournament Championship.
 
Allegheny opens the year 2-0 for the second consecutive season, and will look to remain unbeaten against Carnegie Mellon on Nov. 19.  Wednesday's dual with the Tartans will be the Gators' first of eight straight road games, as the squad will not return home until Dec. 10, when they welcome the Kenyon Ladies for a North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) battle.